Diane Abbott apologises for 'divide and rule' Twitter comments

Labour shadow minister Diane Abbott has apologised after claiming that white
people "love playing divide and rule" as she came under fire from
her own party and was called "stupid and crass" by Nick Clegg.

Miss Abbott, the Labour MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington, initially claimed her comments, on the microblogging website Twitter, were taken "out of context".

But after receiving a barrage of criticism from Conservative MPs, charity workers and the Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, Ms Abbott said she was sorry at the way her remarks had been "interpreted".

Ms Abbott said: “I understand people have interpreted my comments as making generalisations about white people. I do not believe in doing that. I apologise for any offence caused.”

Asked about the comments on Sky News she said: "I think the tweet has been taken out of context and some people have misinterpreted it maliciously." She then answered her phone. The caller was said to be Miliband.

A Labour Party spokesman said: “We disagree with Diane’s tweet. She has said it has been taken out of context and apologised for any offence caused. It is wrong to make sweeping generalisations about any race, creed, or culture. The Labour Party has always campaigned against such behaviour – and so has Diane Abbott. “

Miss Abbott, the shadow public health minister, was responding to a commentator who said she disliked the “lazy” and "monolithic" use of the term “black community” during coverage of the Stephen Lawrence murder trial.

Bim Adewunmi, a freelance journalist, wrote on Twitter that she found many black "leaders" shown in the media to be out of touch with the people they purport to represent.

Abbott responded to say the comments were “playing into a ‘divide and rule’ agenda” that is as “old as colonialism”. She said black people should not “wash dirty linen in public.”

Nick Clegg, the Deputy Prime Minister, said the comments were "stupid and crass" and called on her to apologise.

Conservative MP Nadhim Zahawi said Miss Abbott's apology was insufficient and called on her to step down for "inciting hatred".

"Her comments were clearly racist," he said.

"For someone in that position of that position of leadership to have that view is untenable. She is a shadow minister. To hold the view that 'white people' would behave that way is outrageous and hurtful.

"I think it's outrageous when we had the fantastic end to the murder trial of Stephen Lawrence.

"I've had so many emails about this. It is hurtful to label my constituents as people who would divide and conquer black people. If this was a white MP saying black people like dividing white people they'd be out in five minutes. She should do the decent thing and resign."

The row began last night after Miss Adewunmi wrote on Twitter: “I do wish everyone would stop saying ‘the black community’ though. WHICH ONE?

“Same with ‘black community leaders’ they wheel out whenever someone black gets stabbed.

“I hate the generally lazy thinking behind the use of the term. Same for ‘black community leaders’."

<noframe>Twitter: Bim Adewunmi - <a href="http://www.twitter.com/HackneyAbbott" target="_blank">@HackneyAbbott</a> Maybe. I find it frustrating that half the time, these leaders are out of touch with black people they purport to represent.</noframe>

<noframe>Twitter: Bim Adewunmi - Clarifying my 'black community' tweet: I hate the generally lazy thinking behind the use of the term. Same for 'black community leaders'.</noframe>

Miss Abbott, who ran for the Labour leadership in 2010, responded: “I understand the cultural point you are making. But you are playing into a 'divide and rule' agenda.”

Miss Adewunmi replied: “I find it frustrating that half the time, these leaders are out of touch with the black people they purport to represent.”

Miss Abbott responded: “White people love playing ‘divide & rule’. We should not play their game. #tacticasoldascolonialism.

She added: “Ethnic communities that show more public solidarity and unity than black people do much better #dontwashdirtylineninpublic.”

<noframe>Diane Abbott MP @bimadew White people love playing "divide & rule" We should not play their game #tacticasoldascolonialism</noframe>

<noframe>Twitter: Diane Abbott MP - <a href="http://www.twitter.com/bimadew" target="_blank">@bimadew</a> Ethnic communities that show more public solidarity &amp; unity than black people do much better <a href="http://search.twitter.com/search?q=dontwashdirtylineninpublic" target="_blank">#dontwashdirtylineninpublic</a></noframe>

Abbott takes a phone call while being interviewed about her comments on Sky News

Mr Umunna said: "The contents of the tweet were clearly unacceptable and Diane has, of course, therefore unreservedly apologised for that."

"I should say that the leader of the Labour Party, Ed Miliband, has spoken to her this morning and made it very clear, in no uncertain terms, that the contents of the tweet were unacceptable and Diane agrees with that."

He said people would not "seriously think Diane is a racist".

"Diane has campaigned for equality, and campaigned against prejudice, over many years."

Kofi Mawuli Klu from African think tank Panafriindaba, said: “Diane knows better. In our anti-colonial struggle we had white people on the side of black people. We have always had the support of white people on our side.

“We should be really very precise and we should not be making statements that smack of racial generalisations. Abbott should clarify her comment.”

David Cameron - who famously said in 2009 that he did not use Twitter because too many tweets "might make a t***" - declined to comment in detail on the furore surrounding the Labour MP.

Asked about Ms Abbott during a visit to inspect construction work at Hereford's new enterprise zone, the Prime Minister joked: "You know my rule about politicians and tweeting - another good example."

Dr Evan Harris, the former Liberal Democrat MP, said her comments were "wrong" but it would infringe on her free speech if she lost her job.

"She clearly has not broken the law. It won't cross the threshold for inciting racial hatred at all. The beauty of social media is that if you say something offensive it comes back to you straight away."

She was defended today by veteran left-winger George Galloway, who tweeted: "Diane Abbott has been my friend for 25 years; only the obtuse would think her a 'racist'."

<noframe>Twitter: George Galloway - Diane Abbott has been my friend for 25 years; only the obtuse would think her a "racist".</noframe>

Abbott, a Cambridge graduate and opponent of war in Iraq and Afghanistan, risked her left-wing credentials and her safe seat when it emerged she sent her son James to the elite City of London School, which then charged fees of £10,000 a year.

She defended the decision, saying: "West Indian mums will go to the wall for their children. It's that kind of atavistic streak that we have."

Today the headmaster of City of London School, David Levin, back Miss Abbott.

"She was always ready to help me in fundraising to promote able boys of poor backgrounds of any ethnic minority or colour to attend the school. The idea that Diane Abbott is guilty of racism is absurd," he said.

Miss Abott once claimed that "blonde, blue-eyed Finnish girls" at her local hospital in east London were unsuitable as nurses because they had "never met a black person before".